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NASA reluctantly halted the search for signals from the missing Mars Polar
Lander last week after Dutch, Italian and American radio telescopes all failed
to pick up signals from the spacecraft in tests on 8 February. Hopes rose
briefly last month when astronomers at Stanford University analysed radio
telescope observations and found signs of a faint radio beep—possibly the
lander phoning home. But according to the latest analysis, the signal came from
sources on Earth, not Mars. Because scientists can’t explain why the lander
failed, NASA may abort plans to launch another one next year.